The present invention relates to the general field of firearms and is particularly concerned with a firing nipple for muzzle loading firearm.
Muzzle loading firearms which were once considered the ultimate weapon have been used increasingly in recent years both in tournaments and for hunting. Indeed, in some regions regulations allow for a extended hunting season for users of muzzle loading firearms since such their use allows the game to escape more easily.
Most muzzle loading firearms now use a so-called percussion type firing system instead of the so-called flintlock method which was prevalent up until the 19th century. Conventional percussion type firing systems including a percussive firing cap and a nipple communicating with the firearm ignition chamber.
Conventional percussion caps are typically made out of a thin soft metal formed into a substantially cap shape. The percussion cap is provided with a relatively thin coating of priming compound on the inside of its flat surface of the closed portion of the cap. For the priming compound to ignite it must be compressed between two surfaces. During use, the percussion cap is placed on the nipple so that when the hammer strikes the cap the priming compound is compressed between the hammer and the nipple which thus acts as an anvil. Compression of the priming compound between the hammer and the nipple ignites the priming compound. This produces a predetermined quantity of burning gas in the nipple. The gas in the nipple is forced under considerable pressure into the ignition chamber of the firearm igniting the propellant charge therein. The firing cap naturally needs to fit snugly over the nipple in a position to be struck by the firearm""s hammer.
The ignition assembly of most percussion type muzzle loading firearms further includes a breech plug mounted within the breech of the firearm. Typically the breech plug is screwed into the breech. The breech plug may be provided with a threaded nipple bore for threadably receiving the firing nipple.
Heretofore, nipples usable in conjunction with percussion caps to ignite the propellant charge in a firearm have included an elongated body having a passage extending longitudinally therethrough. Such passage generally includes a cylindrical primary chamber communicating with the cap receiving end of the nipple. This primary chamber serves as an explosion chamber for the percussion cap. The passage also includes a relatively small bore constriction chamber communicating with the gas discharge end of the nipple. This constriction chamber serves to restrict flow of particles out of the primary chamber whereby a high gas pressure within the primary chamber occurs at the time of the percussion explosion.
The prior art discloses various modifications of firing nipples. However, prior art constructions suffer from at least one major drawback. Indeed, misfiring of muzzle loading firearms utilizing a percussion cap and a percussion nipple has proven to be a common problem. The chance of misfiring would be lessened considerably by using a more powerful percussion or potent percussion cap. However, the use of a more powerful percussion cap would increase the risk of so-called blow back of the discharge from the percussion cap. Blow back occurs when the heated gases from the detonated firing cap blow back in the direction of the cap. It can be easily understood that such blow back adversely affect ignition efficiency and may even potentially present a danger to the firearm user. Such blow back effect may also occur from heated gases upon ignition of the propellant charge within the firearm ignition chamber, again diminishing the firearm performance and creating potential danger to the firearm user.
In order to reduce the amount of misfiring, improved firing caps have been developed. For example, the so-called 209 type of fire cap has proven to be more reliable.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved firing nipple for muzzle loading firearms.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a firing nipple for a muzzle loading firearm comprising a body portion having an inlet end and an outlet end, an exterior wall comprised of a first exterior wall section, a second exterior wall section and a third exterior wall section, the first exterior wall section being situated proximate the inlet end, the third exterior wall section being situated proximate the outlet end and the second exterior wall section being situated intermediate the first and third exterior wall sections, the first exterior wall section having a greater diameter than a diameter of the second exterior wall section to thereby form a first exterior abutment shoulder therebetween,
the second exterior wall section diameter being greater than a diameter of the third exterior wall section to thereby form a second exterior abutment shoulder therebetween, an interior wall comprised of a first interior wall section, a second interior wall section and a third interior wall section, the first interior wall section being situated proximate the inlet end and defining a first chamber, the third interior wall section being situated proximate the outlet end and defining a third chamber, and the second interior wall section being located between the first interior wall section and the third interior wall section and defining a second chamber, the second interior wall section having an interior diameter less than a diameter of the first interior wall section to thereby form a first interior abutment shoulder therebetween, the second interior wall section interior diameter being less than a diameter of the third interior wall section, and an inwardly tapering wall section extending between the second interior wall section and the third interior wall section.
Advantages of the present invention include that the proposed firing nipple is specifically adapted to be used with relatively high performance percussion caps in muzzle loading firearms thus reducing the risks of misfiring.
The proposed firing nipple is specifically configured so as to provide easy and stable mounting of the percussion cap thereon. The firing nipple is provided with a built-in means for ensuring stable and safe support of the percussion cap.
The configuration of the passage formed in the firing nipple is optimized to increase the igniting capacity of the percussion cap. Furthermore, the firing nipple is provided with built-in means for reducing the risk of blow back both from the percussion cap and the propellant charge in the firearm.